Hero's Shade
by Loveless an The Living Fantasy
Summary: The land has changed, it is not as I remember. The area has grown, now it is near impossible to tell where I had once resided. My spirit, it roams never resting..It cannot rest, I am a forgotten memory, one that no matter how I wish it will never see the light again.. I have sat in the shadows watching, always watching the one who is my descendant. I am proud of him.


**Dez was sending me sad pictures of OoT Link and so this was born from that QwQ She is such a cruel friend! xD**

* * *

The land has changed, it is not as I remember. The area has grown, now it is near impossible to tell where I had once resided. My spirit, it roams never resting..It cannot rest, I am a forgotten memory, one that no matter how I wish it will never see the light again. I have sat in the shadows watching, always watching the one who is my descendent. He is making good progress and I feel proud, I have never felt so much pride before than watching my own grow into a strong warrior. Everyone is gone now, I roam the castle late at night still defending, always defending the princess. We lock gazes once in awhile and she gives me a small nod of her head as if commending my work, the princess was always aware of things that remain unseen by the eyes of ordinary men and those small moments of acknowledgement makes me feel that what I do is worthwhile.

Today someone came, I tried my best to defend the knights as the shadow creatures ran rampant inside the room. I tried my best to keep them away from the princess, but they went right through me and my sword cut nothing. I felt useless in that moment and could only watch as the princess dropped her sword in surrender, I had yet to see the regal, proud magnificent princess do something as hopeless as that. The princess cares for the kingdom and so I understood why she would surrender. Then the land became cloaked in Twilight and for once I was able to touch, to touch the walls and feel the cold stone, to be seen. I liked that I was able to be seen by everyone, but the suffering it was high. I couldn't allow for the kingdom to suffer even if the result brought me that small shred of happiness, I abhorred the thought of that menace trying to ruin this beautiful kingdom I had shed blood, taken, and given life for.

So I took on the form of the beast within me, I became a golden wolf and after looking at the Princess one last time I had made it obvious for her. I was not going to be coming back, for this was my last job. This was the only thing I had the strength to do all those years placing those stones had not been in vain, at the time not even I knew why I had made those stones and began to place them acrossed the land. Now as I arrive to the small village I had visited often, the one that held the one who shared my blood. I could see why as I watched him turn into the beast that I have become and I knew what I must do, the answer had been clear to me.

The new hero was slow and I often grew impatient with his lack of progress, but he was young still and thrust into a world that is foreign to him so with that knowledge in my mind I went to the forest. The trees made into houses they were still standing, they looked different but as I walked through the area unseen by the people who were worried over their missing youths and even saw a man return injured from trying to get them back. They are not heroes and unknowingly walk into a world in which they know nothing of and are defenseless against even with the sharpest swords, the toughest armor, and the hardest shields.

I saw a lone house, the ladder and the shape..I knew it was where I once lived, I returned to my form the armor clanging as I climbed up the familiar ladder and walked inside the place. It looked different on the inside, not at all like I remembered. My pictures that I had drawn of my friends, my notes of the amount of fish that I had caught, the small weapons I had left behind when I grew too big for them, everything was gone and replaced with the new occupants belongings. I looked through some of the papers, the handwriting was familiar but it was in a language I did not understand. The centuries seemed to have passed quickly and left me behind in the process, a remnant of a forgotten time. I realized that the handwriting looked like mine as I remembered it, I used some of the dirt that was on my armor and wrote comparing the two and saw that it was correct. The goddesses have allowed for the hero to use my home to grow in and become the hero that he was always destined to be, the knowledge made me swell with pride as I decided to take my leave. There was nothing more for me to do there, I made it to the forest after a bit changing into my beast form once more for faster travel. The fog that tried to bar me entrance to where I needed to go did not affect me as I walked through the purple fog, the golden sheen of my fur creating a path for me.

My ears perked up as I heard a familiar melody, it has been so long since I heard this song and so I ran. I ran to the sound, the sound that had been a big part of my life and my feet never slowed until I made it to a clearing where I saw her. For the first time in centuries, I saw her. I didn't think she would still be living, but there she was playing her ocarina in a sad fashion, I could see how troubled she looked and even if she was not to recognize me I had to show her who I was.

I changed back into my mangled form and approached her, she looked up at me asking me in the same childish sweet voice that I remembered, "Link, I was beginning to think that you forgot about me. I have been in this forest playing, hoping to lead you back. It has been many years since I met you, did you keep the ocarina that I gave you?"

The possibility that she recognized me was overwhelming as I dropped to my knees so that I could look into her blue eyes, if I was able to cry then that would have been the time that I would have. Her eyes looked sad, lost, and as if she has cried for years. Slowly I reached into the armor pulling out the chipped and dirty fairy ocarina, I had always kept it with me even when I no longer could use it. It was just an ordinary ocarina and did not possess what I had needed at the time, but still I kept it close to me and I could see how her eyes brightened as she said to me," It's really you…I met you the other day..but you didn't recognize me..That was a mean trick you played! But let's play one last time."

I managed to put the ocarina to my lips and began to play our melody, I called it Saria's song but I always thought it was our song. The song that we would play together, the song of youth that has long since passed. As we played I began to remember everything, the words that we said to one another, the promises I made, and the adventures I went on. The forest as it had once been and the times that we spent together, the times that had not been plagued with loneliness and despair. The times where I had known what happiness was, it made me remember how I wished to be a hero and go on adventures to save the princess. Now as I play this song I realize that those dreams were from a foolish young boy who knew not of what he would get himself into, as an adult turned specter I realize that my real dream had been to live a normal life full of happiness surrounded by friends and loved ones. I had wanted to be included and acknowledged, now I am neither.

"Don't worry, no matter what happens we will always be friends." I heard Saria say to me as I stopped playing and looked into her watery blue eyes, the tears began to fall down her face onto her lap as she continued to speak to me," I seen so many shadows over the years, now I have met the one who casts these shadows once again. I am happy now, we were able to play one last time.."

Saria stood up from the stump the ocarina being placed down instead of in her pocket, she began to walk away as I stood up as well knowing that our time was now over. She turned though, she turned to me and gave me a smile, the same smile I remembered her always giving me and she said with a giggle," And Link, you have improved! You play the ocarina so well now! I am proud of you!"

After that she was gone leaving me to resume my personal journey.

I never knew what happened to her after that, no matter how many times I visited she was not around anymore and I seen the hero do the same as well. The only conclusion that I could reach was that she had become one with the forest and the sadness in my heart continued to grow.

Its been months now, the land is slowly being restored and I have been teaching him well. In the beginning he knew not what he was doing and it frustrated me as to how slowly he learned, but like any hero he got the hang of it. He began to utilize the techniques that I have learned throughout my existence and I used my own body for practice, for that is all I am now good for. I feel that my time here is drawing to an end.

My final moments have arrived, the land has been restored, my techniques learned, and I have seen the new hero visit my grave. I feel that my job is done, my regrets may be many but the demons that have kept me from resting for so long have now began to silence themselves. This new hero has begun to kill the demons within the land and in my own soul. I watch from afar as he sinks the Master Sword into the evil king and now as I watch what I started long ago be completed I know that I can now rest, my work here is done.

I looked to the side to see someone standing beside me silently watching, golden hair covered the figure's face and I turn the rusted armor changing through unknown magic into the green tunic that I once adorned in life. Then a small hand touched mine the figure softly saying to me," You have roamed long enough hero, it's time that I lead you home."

After a moment she turned and I saw that the Princess, not just any princess but my princess. She had arrived to take me home, for the first time in centuries I smiled as we both began to fade away our existences remaining unknown and the deeds we have done undiscovered and for once I was alright with that.

* * *

**Review and favorite! :) **


End file.
